I like the pads at the beginning, along with the little clicks that seem to be build into the sample. The mastering is strong, and the piece has a good sense of atmosphere and progression throughout. The vocals sound rather breathy, to the extent that it started to bother me at around :38 and a couple of other places. I know you’re trying to express some degree of exasperation with the vocals, but I think it’s a little over-the-top when it sounds like you’re sighing after each note. Perhaps that’s a bit harsh, though. You’re certainly not doing that for most of the piece. Anyway, I liked the lyrics themselves, even if the emphasis on “I’m only human” seemed a little cliche. The drop at 1:32 was enjoyable - very spacey and more full-textured than some of your earlier pieces for the competition. I thought you could’ve done a bit more with the drums, though, and that the snare sample had a tad too much treble for my tastes. Admittedly, I was a little disappointed with the lack of new content during the second half of the piece, as well as the underwhelming ending. Still, the melodies are really enjoyable here, and the piece is quite catchy and well-mastered too. Keep at it, Steelside! ;)
Mixing, mastering, and balance
2/2
Structure, transitions, phrasing, and variety
1.25/2
Melody, tonality, harmony, and texture
2/2
Instrumentation and sound design
.75/1
Emotion, atmosphere, and catchiness
1/1
Originality and uniqueness
.5/1
Overall (how do the above elements interact?)
1/1
Composite score
8.5/10